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72 of 88 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
a mess of a story, October 31, 2007
This review is from: Upon The Midnight Clear (A Dream-Hunter Novel, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)
I loved Kenyon's first six books in this series. But the last 4 have gone from bad to worse (starting with Wren's story, Ravyn's story and the last two terrible dream hunter installations). This latest Christmas Dream Hunter story reads like it was originally planned as a short story for an anthology; then was stretched out to make a full length novel by slapping additional scenes in. There's no chemistry between hero and heroine and way way too many secondary and superfluous sketchy characters. Altogether a waste of my $8.00. I think Kenyon knows her fan base is not happy, because she added some extra short chapters at the end giving us a peek at the past beloved New Orleans characters (Kyrian, Amanda, Grace, Julian, Val, Tabby, Talon, Sunshine having Christmas together, along with a glimpse of Nick, and a Christmas scene with Ash, Danger, Alexion, Simi, etc). The only other book in this series that I will purchase is Ash's story and only because Kenyon herself said she wrote Ash's story a few years ago, back when she took the time to really craft a storyline and characters we cared about. Other than Ash's book or books, I won't purchase another book in this series (or in the other series she's writing about the Arthurian Era Knights.)
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42 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Next Time I'll Waste My Money Elsewhere, November 2, 2007
This review is from: Upon The Midnight Clear (A Dream-Hunter Novel, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)
By this point I really should know better. I have only myself to blame because the Dream Hunter novels have never been anything less than absolutely dreadful. Sherrilyn Kenyon has been really cranking them out this year, with at least three Whatever-Hunter novels and who knows how many of her other series that I don't read. Too bad they've all been unabashedly terrible. It occurs to me that Kenyon has reached a point in her career that she obviously doesn't care anymore. Her hard core fan base is going buy, buy, buy no matter what. I'm sorry but three pull your hair out awful books in a row amounts to three strikes you're out.
Admittedly Kenyon was never really a high caliber writer to begin with but there is no comparison with her early books. There was a freshness, an excitement, to the work. These were genuinely exciting adventures and the story reflected an obvious passion and enthusiasm that Kenyon had for her characters and her world. It could pull you along. Now? Ehh... the style is more akin to a bored salary worker just doing it for the paycheck.
Upon a Midnight Clear is the usual Dream Hunter malarky. Leta, the oneroi heroine, like all Dream Hunters is supposed to be under a terrible curse that has sealed away their emotions. Of course, this doesn't stop her from being whiny and angsty. Leta is on the trail of her archenemy Dolor, the god of pain. Dolor's target is Aidan, a reclusive actor that is supposed to be a stand-in for Eboneezer Scrooge. He's shut himself off from the world thanks to having the standard Kenyon background of having his friends and family be the usual string of evil cartoon villains that live only to torment him. Leta shows up at his cabin and teaches him the meaning of true love and charity like some erotic Tiny Tim (Isn't that an awful thought?).
Truly, one of the reasons the Whatever-Hunter series has gotten to be such a pain to read is that Kenyon can't make her characters nuanced anymore. Evil people are like comic book villains, insane laughing balls of unstoppable malice just because it feels good. Really, how seriously can anyone take a character that acts like Gargamel from the Smurfs? Good hides itself behind rippling pectorals and a wounded past. Wounded as in every person you ever met treated you like a red headed step child. Everything is about as subtle as a bat to the face. Plus everyone, from the gods to thirty something humans, talks like an idiotic teeny-bopper. Also included in the back of the book is a short piece about the Dark Hunter characters past and present opening Christmas presents together. It was a mistake to include this because it really drives home the point that all the characters have one single personality type to share between them like the Gorgons share a single eye.
I also have to wonder about the editing. In one scene, Kenyon tries to work in a Dexter reference but its so forced that any decent editor should have nixed it. As if the audience is to dense to get the joke, the writer clarifies that it's a show on Showtime. And Dexter is serial killer! And he lives in Miami and has boat! Really, I don't appreciate being talked down to. The audience is either going to pick up on the reference or they aren't.
To add insult to injury, this is really an anthology piece disguised as a novel. This story probably wouldn't crack one hundred pages if not for huge margins, huge typeset, and the fact that with every new chapter the text starts on the last fifth of the page. Best of all, its sold to you at full novel price! Unbelievable! There is absolutely no redeeming value to this. If this was supposed to be a Christmas present to the fans, it amounts to a lump of coal in your stocking.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
cover better than the content, January 8, 2008
This review is from: Upon The Midnight Clear (A Dream-Hunter Novel, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)
I will be honest and state that I got halfway through this book and could not finish it. I wish I could have given the book zero stars. At first since the book was $6.99, I was determine to finish it. However, I could not torture myself any longer as I did when I forced myself to finish her latest Brotherhood of the Sword book.
In one chapter, you have the heroine willing to sacrifice the hero for the greater good and in the very next chapter determined to keep him safe. In addition, Aidan (the hero) was so whiney that after reading page after page of his pity party, I just could not finish the book. His family sucked, his friends sucked, the world sucked, everybody sucked--I get it already. It was way too over the top that I could not even empathize with him. There are way more people that have it worse than Aidan and they don't have $35 million in the bank and a private lodge to hide out in.
The "plot" just did not make sense, just like the villains' motives or Leta's. I could not understand why the hero's brother would do the things (some really vile and horrible things) he did, it just did not make sense to destroy your meal ticket--the jealousy reason just did not cut it. Moreover, if Leta has no feelings/emotions, why would she care to save the world or Aidan from the God of Pain?
I use to love Kenyon's books, but for the past few years I have been very disappointed in her writing. Her heroes and heroines have become repetitive and boring; her storylines inconsistent causing me to have to re-read sections of her books or find a previous book to make sure I was not wrong; and her storylines have become too confusing with too many characters, too many gods/goddess/ and too many parallel planes/worlds.
It is painful to watch a writer who had consistently produced exceptional books become a writer who is now consistently producing mediocre (sometimes awful) books. The Dream-Hunters and the Orders of Avalon series are especially bad. Maybe Kenyon is stretched to thin; it seems she has several books coming out. I would prefer an author put out one great book a year than several bad books in one year (LESS IS MORE). I also put a lot of blame on her publisher and editor (shame on you). Once Acheron's and Nick's books come out, I am done. When an author's book covers are better than the content, it is time to find a new author. Suggestions are welcome!--Thanks
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